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Oct. 12 (UPI) — Search-and-rescue operations were underway Sunday night in Alaska as several people remain unaccounted for while typhoon remnants continue to batter the Last Frontier state.

Alaska State Troopers said in a statement that at least three people were unaccounted for in Kwigillingok, along the west coast of the state. There were also reports of people unaccounted for in nearby Kipnuk, where homes were pushed from their foundations by heaving winds and flooding.

The operation rescued 18 people in Kwigillingok and at least 16 from Kipnuk, the state police force said, adding that both communities were hit with strong winds and heavy flooding Saturday night.

“This is an active and ongoing search-and-rescue mission,” it said adding that the Alaska Air National Guard, Alaska Army National Guard and the U.S. Coast Guard were aiding in the effort.

Western Alaska’s Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta and Nunivak Island were hit hard by remnants of Typhoon Halong over the weekend, with the Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management stating they experienced hurricane-force winds, some areas in gusts in excess of 100 mph. “Significant” storm surges leading to widespread flooding were also recorded, it said.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy issued a disaster declaration on Thursday as the state was already being negatively impacted by the storm. On Sunday, he expanded that order, making available state public and other assistance programs to those affected in the named in the region.

He said Kipnuk and Kwigillingok had been “hard hit” and that rescue aircraft were on their way.

“Every effort will be made to help those hit by this storm,” he said in a Sunday evening release.

In Kipnuk, where water levels reached 6.6 feet above high tide overnight, 172 people had sought shelter, according to the state.

In Kwigillingok, water levels reached a height of 6.3 feet above high tide and more than 100 people required shelter. At least four homes were “inundated,” it said.

The National Weather Service said Sunday afternoon that the storm was continuing to move across Alaska’s west coast, with high wind warnings to remain in effect through Monday Morning for Norton Sound and Kotzebue Sound and through Tuesday morning for the northwest Alaska coast.

For some areas, coastal flooding warnings will remain in effect through Tuesday morning.

ROME — Pope Leo XIV urged labor union leaders from Chicago on Thursday to advocate for immigrants and welcome minorities into their ranks, weighing in as the Trump administration crackdown on immigrants intensifies in the pontiff’s hometown.

“While recognizing that appropriate policies are necessary to keep communities safe, I encourage you to continue to advocate for society to respect the human dignity of the most vulnerable,” Leo said.

The audience was scheduled before the deployment of National Guard troops to protect federal property in the Chicago area, including a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building that has been the site of occasional clashes between protesters and federal agents.

Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich, who accompanied the labor leaders, said that Leo was well aware of the situation on the ground. In an interview with the Associated Press, Cupich said Leo has made clear, including in recent comments, that migrants and the poor must be treated in ways that respect their human dignity.

“I really didn’t have to tell him much at all, because he seemed to have a handle on what was going on,” Cupich told the AP afterward.

He said that Leo had urged U.S. bishops in particular to “speak with one voice” on the issue. Cupich said he expected the November meeting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops would make immigration a top agenda item.

“This has to be front and center right now. This is the issue of the day. And we can’t dance around it,” Cupich said.

Catholic leaders in the U.S. have denounced the Trump administration’s crackdown, which has split up families and incited fears that people could be rounded up and deported any time. The administration has defended the crackdown as safeguarding public safety and national security.

Leo “wants us to make sure, as bishops, that we speak out on behalf of the undocumented or anybody who’s vulnerable to preserve their dignity,” Cupich said. “We all have to remember that we all share a common dignity as human beings.”

Cupich said he was heartened by Leo’s remarks last week, in which the pope defended the cardinal’s decision to honor Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin for his work helping immigrants. The plans drew objection from some conservative U.S. bishops given the powerful Democratic senator’s support for abortion rights, and he ultimately declined the award.

It was the second meeting in as many days that history’s first American pope has heard firsthand from a U.S. bishop on the front lines of the migration crackdown. On Wednesday, El Paso Bishop Mark Seitz brought Leo letters from desperate immigrant families.

Cupich was in Rome for Vatican meetings and to also accompany a group of Chicago schoolchildren who got a special greeting from Leo during his Wednesday general audience. The kids had staged their own “mock conclave” in school this past spring, and footage of their deliberations went viral online as the real conclave unfolded in Rome. They arrived at the audience Wednesday dressed as cardinals, Swiss Guards and the pope himself.

Winfield writes for the Associated Press.

Oct. 6 (UPI) — The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to address a number of cases concerning executive power — specifically on elections, tariffs and President Donald Trump‘s ability to fire the employees of independent agencies — as begins a new term Monday in Washington, D.C.

The decisions the high court makes in the coming months are expected to say just how aggressively Trump can wield his presidential power without interference from lower-court judges. With a conservative 6-3 majority, three of whom were handpicked by the president, the Supreme Court’s next rulings could majorly affect the president’s current policy efforts.

Among this term’s cases:

— The Supreme Court will consider whether Trump has the ability to fire the employees of certain independent government agencies. This case stems from Trump’s firing of Federal Trade Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter in September.

This will essentially revisit the 1935 Supreme Court decision in Humphrey’s Executor vs. United States, which upheld the FTC’s protections from removal under President Franklin Roosevelt as constitutional.

— The high court will also decide whether Trump exceeded his authority by imposing sweeping tariffs without congressional approval.

James Sample, a Hofstra Law professor and ABC News contributor, described the case as “staggeringly important.”

“If you think of a tariff as a tax, this is one of the biggest tax hikes in American history, and it didn’t go through Congress at all.

— Birthright citizenship is also on the docket this term. Two days into his second term, Trump signed an executive order ending birthright citizenship for anyone who doesn’t have at least one parent who is a U.S. citizen. Lower courts have so far blocked this order.

— In Louisiana vs. Callais, the high court will decide whether the state legislature’s efforts to redistrict violate the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

— The Supreme Court will also hear a legal challenge to Colorado’s ban on conversion therapy for LGBTQIA+ youths. A Christian therapist has argued that the ban is a restriction on her First Amendment rights, while opponents say the law is simply a restriction on treatment.

According to NPR News, the Supreme Court has set a record by granting 20 of Trump’s requests to block lower court orders that went against him. The court ruled against him three times in the same eight-month span.

PLANS for Riyadh Season 2025 have been formally announced – with WWE and darts events now on the agenda.

As part of the Middle Eastern sporting bonanza which starts this week and runs until early next year, Saudi Arabia will host the Royal Rumble, becoming the first nation outside of North America to take on a marquee WWE event.

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They are also expected to stage Wrestlemania in 2027.

The Kingdom will host the Saudi Arabia Darts Masters in January as part of the World Series of Darts.

The PDC has never taken a professional darts event to Saudi before.

Chairman of the Saudi General Entertainment Authority, Turki Alalshikh, announced the plans for Riyadh Season 2025 in a press conference on Sunday.

Alalshikh has previously said he wants to try something “crazy” with darts – but it is not yet clear what he has up his sleeve.

The Riyadh Season Snooker Championship remains on the calendar, along with high-profile events in tennis and boxing.

Six Kings Slam is one of the most lucrative events on the tennis circuit, with Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz all set to feature.

Players are guaranteed £1.1million just for competing, with the winner banking an eye-watering £4.5m.

SUN VEGAS WELCOME OFFER: GET £50 BONUS WHEN YOU JOIN

Ring IV will feature boxing showdowns including David Benavidez vs Anthony Yarde and Brian Norman Jr. vs Devin Haney.

A parade in Boulevard City will kick off Riyadh Season 2025 on October 10.

The entertainment extravaganza will feature 15 global championships as well as 34 exhibitions and festivals.

And Alalshikh estimates that its brand value has reached £2.4BILLION.

Organisers said: “Riyadh Season 2025 will be a defining milestone in the history of global entertainment, emphasising that Riyadh has become the emblem of a new era of creativity, culture, and international entertainment excellence.”

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Sept. 23 (UPI) — U.S. President Donald Trump has said he plans to address “the good and the bad” across the globe as one of the first speakers when the U.N. General Assembly’s annual general debate opens Tuesday in New York City.

Specifically, he’s expected to speak about his own accomplishments handling conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, White House press secretary Caroline Leavitt said ahead of his appearance.

Trump touted his role in negotiating peace across the globe Friday while making remarks on an executive order on H-1B visas.

“Nobody’s done a better job than I’ve done on world peace. Nobody’s settled so many wars as I have,” he said, claiming to have “settled” seven conflicts.

Trump spoke about the two ongoing wars in Gaza and Ukraine as well as his upcoming U.N. appearance to reporters Sunday.

“The hatred between [Russian President Vladimir] Putin and [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelensky is very substantial,” Trump said, according to CBS News. “There’s a lot of bad blood.

“And, course, Gaza is a basic disaster. We’ve got to get that taken care of. But the big thing will be that I’m going to be speaking at the United Nations, and I hope to do a good job.”

Trump is likely to touch on some of the bigger news coming out of meetings on the sidelines of the general debate — the recognition by several countries of an independent Palestinian state.

At an international peace summit hosted by France and Saudi Arabia on Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron formally recognized Palestine. His announcement was joined by the countries of Andorra, Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta and San Marino, and Australia, Britain and Canada made their own declarations Sunday.

“The time has come for Israel to live in peace and security,” Macron said, sharing his support for a two-state solution to the conflict. “The time has come to give justice to the Palestinian people and to recognize the state of Palestine.”

Sept. 8 (UPI) — Jury selection got underway Monday in the trial for Ryan Routh, over his alleged assassination attempt against President Donald Trump in September 2024.

Routh, now 59, entered a federal courthouse in Fort Pierce, Fla., for the start of his criminal trial in what’s likely to be a three-day jury selection process.

He pleaded not guilty to charges of attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer and multiple gun violations after he allegedly waited for then-candidate Trump nearly 12 hours around the perimeter of Trump’s golf club in West Palm Beach on Sept. 15 before later caught by Martin County Sheriff’s deputies.

In addition, Routh has pleaded not guilty to separate charges filed by the state on terrorism and attempted murder.

The trial is expected to last around a month and Routh will be representing himself during court processings.

In December, U.S. Southern District Judge Aileen Cannon set the trial date to begin.

Routh, a construction worker who was from Hawaii and North Carolina, was found when a Secret Service agent discovered the barrel of an SKS-style rifle protruding through the tree line near the golf course’s sixth green.

The agent shot at Routh, who fled the scene but was arrested on a nearby highway after a chase with sheriff’s deputies.

Meanwhile, Routh is facing the possibility of life in prison.

Opening statements in Routh’s trial are expected to be heard on Thursday.

As the U.S. deploys an armada of ships and aircraft to the southern Caribbean, at least partly aimed at Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro, the U.S. Navy and Marines are conducting an amphibious landing training exercise in southern Puerto Rico. While the U.S. Marine Corps does not make any mention of Maduro or Venezuela in its media release about the exercise, the move comes as tensions are mounting between Washington and Caracas over the flow of illegal narcotics. The Trump administration considers Maduro a “narco-terrorist” and has raised the award for his arrest to $50 million. You can catch up with our most recent reporting on the Caribbean deployments here.

Meanwhile, the U.S. carried out a lethal strike in the southern Caribbean against a drug vessel that departed from Venezuela and was operated by a designated narco-terrorist organization, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on X this afternoon, following comments made by U.S. President Donald Trump. Striking this vessel points to a new kinetic angle to this effort, a major escalation. You can read more about the attack in our story here.

The amphibious training exercise, which began two days ago, involves Marines and sailors from the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU). The 22nd MEU, part of the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), left Norfolk Aug. 14, bound for the southern Caribbean. That force included more than 4,500 sailors and Marines on three ships: The Wasp class amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima, and San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ships the USS San Antonio and USS Fort Lauderdale.

The Marines and sailors involved in the training exercise are part of the ARG/MEU dispatched for the drug interdiction effort, a Navy official told The War Zone Tuesday afternoon. The three ships are currently near Puerto Rico, the official added. Given the training efforts, at least some of these vessels are almost assuredly taking part, though neither the Navy nor Marines could immediately confirm that. The Navy referred us to the Marines for clarification, and we will update this story with any pertinent details provided.

The deployment of the ARG/MEU is part of a much larger movement that also includes three Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyers, a Ticonderoga class guided missile cruiser, a Los Angeles class fast attack nuclear submarine as well as land-based surveillance aircraft. The movement of equipment and personnel is part of Trump’s continuing efforts to take on cartels.

The Puerto Rico training exercise “is designed to enhance the 22nd MEU’s readiness and capabilities, while also fostering stronger relationships with the Puerto Rican National Guard,” the 22nd MEU said in its release. “Amphibious operations are a cornerstone of naval integration and a core competency of the 22nd MEU. They enable the rapid deployment of Marines from naval vessels to shore, supporting U.S. strategic objectives.”

Whether coincidental or not, there are many physical and environmental similarities between Puerto Rico and Venezuela, located about 500 miles south of the U.S. territory.

“The challenging terrain and tropical climate of Puerto Rico provides an ideal environment for the 22nd MEU to conduct realistic amphibious training and hone specialized skills such as patrolling, reconnaissance, and survival techniques, ensuring a high level of readiness while forward deployed,” the unit explained. “These operations offer a valuable opportunity to train alongside the National Guard, leveraging existing military training facilities on the island. The 22nd MEU is actively seeking ways to expand collaborative training opportunities, including jungle training, combined exercises and community engagement events. These combined efforts are aimed at enhancing regional security, disaster response capabilities, and joint capacity building.”

In addition to the ARG/MEU ships, Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyers USS Gravely and USS Jason Dunham are underway in the southern Caribbean, the Navy official told us.

Meanwhile, at least two Navy warships have reached or transited the Panama Canal. The Ticonderoga class guided missile cruiser USS Lake Erie recently passed through the canal from the Pacific to the Caribbean. The Panama Canal opens up into that body of water about 600 miles southwest of Venezuela.

Overnight, guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG 70) transited the Panama Canal northbound and entered the Caribbean Sea. Following the transit, Lake Erie stopped broadcasting its position, steaming at 17 knots on a 36° course, heading in the direction of Venezuela. pic.twitter.com/aNmeJhmN4y

— Ian Ellis (@ianellisjones) August 30, 2025

In addition, the Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyer USS Sampson is docked on the Pacific side of the canal, the Navy official added. Citing Navy policy against publicly disclosing the location of its submarine force, the official would not comment on the whereabouts of the Los Angeles class fast attack submarine USS Newport News, also part of this effort.

While there is no indication that the U.S. plans to land forces in Venezuela, has the deployed capacity to do so effectively, or that any U.S. vessels are close by, Maduro and his military say they are ready to repel any attack.

“In the face of this maximum military pressure, we have declared maximum preparedness for the defense of Venezuela,” Maduro said Monday of the deployment, which he characterized as “an extravagant, unjustifiable, immoral and absolutely criminal and bloody threat.”

Maduro called the U.S. buildup “the greatest threat that has been seen on our continent in the last 100 years” in the form of “eight military ships with 1,200 missiles” targeting Venezuela.

Maduro asegura que 1.200 misiles y un submarino nuclear apuntan contra Venezuela

La Casa Blanca ha confirmado un despliegue militar en el Caribe como parte de su estrategia antidrogas, y aseguró que cuenta con el respaldo de varios países latinoamericanos. Maduro afirma que su… pic.twitter.com/KDAO2dUmLX

— DW Español (@dw_espanol) September 2, 2025

While the exact nature of this movement remains unclear, and no overt threats of kinetic action against Maduro directly have been made by the Trump administration, the Venezuelan dictator seems to be gearing up for a fight. Late last month, he announced the planned deployment of more than 4.5 million militia members around the country. They are volunteers designated to bolster the armed forces’ defense against external and domestic attacks. In addition, Venezuela announced it was deploying 15,000 troops toward the border with Colombia to conduct counter-drug operations.

Rubio said recently that “for the first time in the modern era,” the U.S. government was “truly on the offense” against organized cartels sending drugs to the United States, The New York Times noted. He and other officials in the Trump administration have called Mr. Maduro an illegitimate leader and his government a “narco-terror cartel.”

Maduro was indicted in a New York federal court in 2020, during the first Trump presidency. He and 14 others, including several close allies, were hit with federal charges of narco-terrorism and conspiracy with the Colombian FARC insurgent group to import cocaine.  The U.S., as we previously mentioned, has issued a $50 million reward for his capture.

El primer póster oficial del gobierno de los Estados Unidos por la captura del terrorista latinoamericano más buscado de todos los tiempos: el venezolano Nicolas Maduro Moros. pic.twitter.com/Pq0ElEOGuF

— Agustín Antonetti (@agusantonetti) August 8, 2025

Last week, someone with direct knowledge of the operations told us that the U.S. is building up military assets in the region aimed as a direct message at Maduro in addition to taking part in counter-drug operations. With the aforementioned attack on a Venezuelan cartel drug boat, this has now become a lethal drug interdiction effort.

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